ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on France's position of leadership in the international intervention in Eastern Chad and on the stakes underlying such a prominent role, particularly in light of French government's bilateral policy with Chad. The continued violence in Chad cannot be reduced to France's support for successive regimes. However, the historical relationship between the politico-economic elites of both countries has significantly affected the humanitarian and security situation in Chad. French Chadian policy, in addition to being a major obstacle to peace building and peacekeeping in Eastern Chad, undermined and delegitimised the international community's efforts. Although this phenomenon has perhaps led to a normalisation of Franco-African relationships in other countries, it appears to have taken a divergent path in Chad. In a fundamental contradiction with the initial objective of the international intervention and with the continued insecurity in Eastern Chad, the outcome of EUFOR and MINURCAT I allowed France to continue to pursue its own Chadian policy by internationally legitimising means.
